‘The Grinch’ Makes His Animated Debut in a New TV Spot

The Grinch, Illumination’s new CGI animated retelling of the classic Dr. Seuss tale doesn’t hit theaters until the fall, and we haven’t even seen a trailer for the movie yet. But viewers of the Olympics were treated to a sneak preview of the main character (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, although we don’t hear him speak in this clip) in the TV spot above. This Grinch (who seems not very Grinch-y, if you ask me) imagines himself as a figure skater, and then is swept up in a fantasy of ice skating glory.

Okay, so it’s both a new animated Grinch and it’s also a remake of The Cutting Edge, the figure skater romance drama? I’m totally down with that. Wait, is it actually a remake of I, Tonya but with a Grinch? That could be decent, it depends on who plays Gillooly, though. (Maybe the Cat in the Hat?)

The Grinch has been adapted to the big screen before, in 2000’s live-action Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. That movie was directed by Ron Howard and starred Jim Carrey beneath a pile of green makeup so punishing it put him in such a foul mood that he allegedly drove his makeup artist to therapy. And, of course, there’s the classic animated short from 1966 by Looney Tunes animator Chuck Jones. This new guy looks to have a kinder, cuter edge to him than either of those versions. What a sad sign of the times; even the Grinch has been cuddle-ified. Illumination’s The Grinch opens in theaters on November 9, 2018.